Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
Three men from northwest Ohio have been federally charged with offenses related to child sexual abuse materials following an investigation that led to the execution of 16 search warrants last week, authorities announced on Apr. 24. Four additional individuals were arrested and are being held on state charges.
The charges stem from a coordinated law enforcement effort involving multiple agencies. The three defendants—Gavin Jaffe, Jared Mishka, and Alexander Rojas—face allegations of receipt and distribution of child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Each case is separate.
Court documents allege that Jaffe, age 27 of Millbury, was active on a social media platform where he exchanged CSAM and discussed his interest in children. Mishka, age 26 of Toledo, allegedly possessed thousands of images and videos depicting pre-pubescent children under the age of twelve; investigators also found a list of addresses near his home with female names and a collection of girls’ socks. Rojas, age 38 also from Toledo, is accused of hiding a cellphone containing images involving infants during the search; other items seized included sex toys resembling those for children as well as clothing intended for young girls.
“These arrests happen to coincide with National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which is recognized each April,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer. “Together with the investigative efforts of our law enforcement partners, my office will aggressively prosecute those who take part in any type of these heinous crimes against children and hold them accountable for these despicable actions.” Toepfer said he would be highlighting awareness about crimes against children through public service announcements on the office’s Facebook page in coming days.
During the week-long operation led by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency alongside local police departments and sheriff’s offices across northern Ohio counties, agents seized 128 digital devices containing thousands of CSAM files.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio promotes community safety through outreach programs and victim services according to its official website. The office serves as chief federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice according to its official website, enforcing federal criminal laws related to national security and public corruption while defending civil suits brought against the United States according to its official website. Its jurisdiction covers forty northern counties in Ohio according to its official website with offices located in Cleveland, Toledo, Akron and Youngstown according to its official website. The office works closely with schools and law enforcement agencies throughout northern Ohio communities according to its official website.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
